


Something New

by Ibelievenyesterday



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-04-10 06:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4380854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ibelievenyesterday/pseuds/Ibelievenyesterday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex's friendship with the new girl develops into more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something New

**Author's Note:**

> First fic, go easy on me.

Today’s practice was rough. Kelley’s harsh tackle sent me splattering into the mud, knocking the wind out of my ribs. As I lay there, staring, I tried to catch my breath. The clouds came into focus as my chest heaved. The wind hitting my sweat-covered skin sent a chill through my bones. It was moments like these, where the smell of fresh cut grass felt suffocating and the sun glinted off my brow, that I lived for. 

“Shit, Kelley,” one of my best friends, Christen Press, yelled as she ran toward me. “We need her for the game tomorrow. Are you insane?”

Just as I was getting my breathing under control and no longer clutched at my stomach in pain, Christen’s worried blue eyes popped into sight. “Alex?”

The corner of my mouth lifted. Christen Press had been my best friend since childhood. I’m not going to lie and say that it didn’t begin out of self-interest. At the age of two, Christen was a hit in our neighborhood. None of the other little girls my mother had set up playdates with owned as many Barbies or accessories as Chris did. When we were let out into our yards for playtime, all of the neighborhood girls would collectively seek out her doorstep. Yet, she liked me best. I shared my lollipops with her and would never take a swing at her when she tugged at my pigtails.

I was always a calm child. Christen, well Christen had always been an anxious, hyper-worrier. She’d keep her eyes on every article of Barbie clothing to leave her hands for “sharing.” She noticed when I put a shoe on the wrong foot. She’d even run to tell my mom when I collapsed into tears at the age of four after scraping my knee during tag. She was my best friend. We balanced each other out.

“Relax, Chris. It lives,” Kelley joked as Christen helped me up from the grass and swatted me on the shoulder. “That's for being dramatic, bitch. You have to take a little heat from the best every once in a while, yeah? How else will you be ready for tomorrow?” Kelley winked.

“Yeah, Alex, be careful. Becky should be tackling you sometime this practice,” Christen flung toward us.

“I would have scored that goal if it weren’t for the dirty tackle. And you know it too,” I smiled at Kelley.

“See, she’s in one piece. The same sarcasm as before,” Kelley claimed as she poked Christen.

“Alright then, ladies, what’s the big commotion? Let’s get it together! Same formation. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! We aren’t beating our rivals by lollygagging like a bunch of ants on a hill,” shouted Coach Westin in his booming voice.

“What the hell kind of metaphor was that supposed to be? Worker ants are the ones that can be seen on the move along hills. Their queen is an enforcing female. She doesn’t take any shit, there’s no lollygagging involved. Amirite? She’s a bad bitch?” Kelley questioned doubtfully. 

“What does it matter you lame, just get in position and straighten your penny,” I breathed toward her.

Most of the extra laps we’d run earlier in practice as a threesome were consequence of Kelley’s inquisitive sass. Everyone else ran simple drills--things that should be scheduled before games, and not intense workouts brought on by an obnoxious friend’s obnoxiousness.

“If I have to run one more lap because of you, I swear Kelley. I’m hardly going to have time to make it to our history study group as it is, are you looking to fail?” Christen charmed.

My muscles felt tense after that hard fall. I rolled my ankles experimentally to deter an oncoming cramp and set up at goal during Lauren’s corner. I shoved Kelley away from me. She was great at defense, but so annoyingly possessive during man-on-man that I was starting to feel claustrophobic. 

After about ten more corners, I’d assume because I wasn’t really counting, I waved goodbye to Kelley and Christen as they both climbed into Christen’s car. I was just happy to get away from them for a bit, to breathe. I loved my friends. I loved making them laugh and the dynamic we kept up, but I was exhausted and I had to get ready for game day. I needed alone time. I needed to visualize.

“You looked great out there, Alex. Get pumped! We aren’t letting those Aztecs anywhere near goal tomorrow!” Heather said happily as she walked towards her car. I loved HAO’s enthusiasm, but soccer was my outlet. Everything went silent for me on the field, I got tunnel vision with the ball at my cleats. I just smiled at her widely, too tired to respond further.

“Shit,” I muttered as I tripped on a crack in the asphalt next to my back wheel.

“Careful there,” a low smooth voice said towards me. “Two close calls in one day, you’re going to have to drive extra safe. We need our star striker tomorrow.”

I whirled around to meet shimmery brown eyes as my face grew hot with embarrassment. There was that tan, wide smiling face that always caught my eye during art class.

“Thanks for making me extra self-conscious. It should weigh on your conscience now if I trip a third time.”

“Sure, I, a casual bystander, take full responsibility for any and all injuries you incur.”

“It’s only right.”

The familiar face of a beautiful, virtual stranger let out the most genuine laugh I had ever heard. Her hand shot in front of her mouth self-consciously as I stared happily at her, probably too happily. “You just joined right? I don’t think I’ve seen you around much before.” I inquired.

“Yeah, I usually play recreationally, but I thought I’d try out to see how it went and now here we are.” She responded as she tucked a golden strand behind her ear. 

The toe of my left shoe ran rhythmically back and forth over the crack I had tripped on earlier. It was the only thing keeping my mind off of the butterflies that sprouted in my stomach at the sound of her voice.

“Well, congrats on varsity then,” I said as I smiled awkwardly at her. The conversation had plateaued, but she seemed cool. The older girls on the team usually hung out together, but I wanted to get to know this girl. She was young and extremely talented. I was glad we’d have more returners next year when it became my turn to help lead the team, as a senior.

“Thanks,” she gave me a wide smile before kicking her longboard onto the ground and waving at me.

I returned her wave as climbed into my car. My stomach growled and my head thrummed from hunger. I was starving. I had studied for a history quiz during lunch, only stopping for a few bites before walking into a class that had felt like the scene of a crime. A crime I had committed, I'm pretty sure I had failed that test. Everything felt more intense when I was nervous. Mrs. Elliot was terrible, it was like she encouraged us to fail with the questions she chose. Who cared about government? The exact year when the federal bank system became a system doesn’t matter. No one cares about the name of Thomas Jefferson’s mistress. Why don’t we learn something useful? Why aren’t we learning about--

I was so lost in my thoughts I had been on autopilot as I began to drive. My body jerked with the car and a thump sent my mind into overdrive. I could hear the blood flow in my ears as I put the car in park and shakily exited.

A longboard rolled toward me as I pitchily asked if everything was alright.

“Shit, shit, shit. I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t thinking. I am so sorry. I should have been paying attention. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Oh, jesus christ, fuck. I’m sorry.” rushed out of my mouth as I approached the figure with his or her back toward me.

“Whoa, chill,” the smooth voice from earlier comforted me. Kind brown eyes locked with hesitant blue in reassurance. “I was in a hurry and I sort of swerved toward toward your car. It’s all good, really. Breathe.”

I let out a shaky breath before approaching the girl with a gentle smile, slowly. “I feel awful,” I apologized. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt worse.”

“What a way to make a girl feel good? My presence really bothering you that much?” she joked in an effort to make me feel better.

I let out a short, dry chuckle. “Sorry, you alright?”

“Your car is tiny and you were going probably two miles per hour. I’ll be fine.”

“Can I give you a ride home at least? You shouldn’t walk after something like that.”

“I have my board,” she gestured toward her feet, “or at least I did before you ran me over.”

“Shit, shit. I knew you were hurt. If I could just-”

“Yo, no, I was kidding. Too soon? Well, fuck. Um, nah, I’m alright.”

I stared at her intently from head to toe before making eye contact with her blushing face and muttering, “Sorry, I just-I ugh-you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said while maintaining eye contact. “One hundred percent alright, I’ve had worse. Shoot you’ve had worse even. Two times already today if I recall correctly.”

I smiled at her banter and handed her the longboard I was standing in front of. “If there’s anything I can-”

“It’s fine, really. Thank you. Now get in your car and leave me alone before I report you.” She said before laughing heartily at my open-mouthed expression. “Alex, it is Alex right?”

I nodded shyly, she knew my name.

“Alex, I’m just giving you a rough time because you seem tense and I’m a little shit. I’m honestly great. I should be the one apologizing. I think I really freaked you out. It sounded a lot worse than it was. I was in a hurry to grab my art stuff before they locked everything up and my locker is at the other end of campus and so I rushed into this parking lot, even though I had just left, and I ran into your car as you were pulling out because I was checking my watch. So, Al, I ran into you and you in no way endangered me with your impeccable driving. Sorry about that, again. Um, but I really am in a hurry so I’m just going to,” She gestured toward the school with the hand that wasn’t hold her board. “I’ll see you around?”

I nodded dumbly, I had no idea how to speak to this person. Her deep eyes threw me off. She made me feel at ease after I hit her with my car. Who does that? I’d never met anyone like her. As she rushed away from me on her longboard, kicking haphazardly and not looking back once, I couldn’t stop wondering where she had come from and why I had never paid attention to her before. Who did she hang out with during practice? How old was she? How did she know my name? What was hers? 

I didn’t even know her name.

That night I tossed and turned as the girl with golden hair and shimmering brown eyes plagued me, nameless. Nameless, but not faceless, in each of my dreams.

\----------------

The steady whirl of my ceiling fan became part of my consciousness. The pillow at my neck felt lumpy and my blanket scratchy. I was cold, my head felt heavy, and my stomach was in knots. I slept terribly. I could swear I’d seen those brown eyes somewhere before. That stare is unforgettable. Ugh, I had a game today. The Greensbury High Gladiators against our rivals, the Ardley Aztecs. 

“ALEX!”

“What?” I whispered

“ALExxX!”

“Shit!” I sprang up so quickly that the momentum caused me to fly off of the bed and roll toward the feet of my best friend.

“Get up lazy bones, it’s game day.” Christen cooed at me, poking the toe of her shoe into my side after every word.

“Yeh, hup,” Kelley contributed around a bite of Lucky Charms.

I jumped up quickly and snatched the bowl from Kelley, “Dudeee, this was my last bowl!”

“Iv et?” Kelley asked as she stole the spoon out of the bowl in my hands. “Great man, I almost missed out. You know Jerry always eats the good cereal in like a day at my house. Be a bro.”

I exhale sadly as Christen pats the top of my bedhead and shoo’s me toward my restroom. “Hurry Alex! You already set us back ten minutes!”

Christen loved getting to school at least thirty minutes early so that we could sit around to talk, our schedules didn’t match up at all this year because I wanted to fit in Intro to Art. Next year I would have one free period and a soccer independent study. Plenty of time to practice during school before our team’s actual afternoon practice. I wanted to lead us to a League Championship and, hopefully, put Greensbury in the running for State.

“Anddd, done.” I jumped out of the restroom in my jersey and a pair of tight jeans. It was school custom for student athletes to wear their sport jerseys to class on game days. That’s originally how a wide smile and sparkly brown eyes caught my attention, she was wearing the same jersey as me on a day before a tournament. The first tournament of the year was an introduction to the season, a way for returners and newbies to get experience playing together in a real game setting without the pressure of a win.

“Great, that makes us only 10 minutes late which leaves plenty of time for coffee,” Christen clapped her hands and jumped off of my bed. Kelley rolled my computer chair back towards my desk.

“Why coffee? We don’t have an exam today, Press. I thought you only drank coffee on special occasions,” Kelley inquired.

“Well, if you must know, Alex looks like shit. You can tell she didn’t sleep a drop and I’m a good friend. Plus, what’s wrong with a little pumpkin spice celebration for just-uh-for doing life, okay?” Christen retorted.

Kelley burst into laughter. Christen had a minor addiction to caffeine in the past so she had vowed over the summer to lay off. ‘At least during the season,’ she began, ‘it can be, like, a group effort.’ How she talked us into it I’ll never know. 

“So they’re all going to turn into ‘special occasions,’” Kelley teased.

“Well, I’m sure it’s a holiday somewhere,” I winked at Chris. She was right, I was exhausted. There was no way I would make it through school and then a game without a pick-me-up.

The cold usually woke me up a little bit more. So I grabbed an iced coffee to go along with my breakfast bagel. We sat around a table for a while at the coffee shop across the street from school. About two sips into my coffee I remembered my first class of the day was art. Art, the place where I’d see the smile that kept me up all night. I grabbed an extra cup, hopefully I’d get a smile out of her for bringing her coffee. I let out a yawn as I got up from my chair, I’d get myself another cup as well.

“Shit Al, that’s like a cup of coffee per bag under your eye,” Kelley said disgustedly.

“Nah, only one’s for me. The other’s for your mom,” I joked.

“Really Alexandra, are you feeling okay? You’re one of the soundest sleepers I know,” Christen asked authoritatively.

“My legs cramped up a few times during the night, they woke me up so I didn’t get to sleep much,” Chris squinted suspiciously at me, but ultimately let it go.

\------------------

I squeezed in through the door of my art classroom as the late bell went off.

“Congratulations, Miss Morgan,” the teacher drolled, “you have outstanding timing. Now take a seat before I kick you out for being late.”

“But I’m not-”

“Sit.” 

I rush into my seat, careful not to spill any coffee. As I walk past my new favorite smile I set a cup down on her desk. I feel her eyes burn into the back of my skull, the eyes of everyone in the classroom really. I turn toward her quickly with a small smile. She gives me a blinding one back.

As I struggle through my exercise on shading gradients, my blue paint bled helplessly into the white and I hear a bright laugh over my shoulder. I jump in my seat. Brown eyes laughs harder before saying, “I’m sorry for sneaking up on you so loudly and obviously. I was trying to scare you.”

“Oh ha ha, you’re so funny I can’t wait to tell everyone I’m friends with a person this funny.” 

“I wouldn’t call us friends. I let you almost kill me yesterday and you brought me guilt coffee to class, my favorite kind might I add.”

“That sounds like a friendship to me.”

“Your friendships sound pretty messed up then. Here I was judging a book by its sweet and innocent cover. You had me fooled, Lex.”

I smiled at her dumbly. I had a nickname. We were definitely going to be friends. “I’m really sorry about yesterday. I feel really terrible about it.”

“It’s because you need my talent on the field today isn’t it,” she said as she took another sip of her coffee and smiled at me.

“Sure, is. Can’t get one past you. Let’s hope you’re the same way at the game and no one gets past you today,” I joke.

“How you wound me,” she wrinkled her nose at me in playful distaste.

The teacher cleared his throat loudly and we jolted before looking toward him as the rest of the class looked up as well. “Why, Tobin Heath, exemplary student of mine, did you forget where your seat is?”

Tobin. Her name is Tobin. I stared silently at her blushing profile as she explained that I was making a mess of my exercise and she ‘as an independent study’ thought she could talk me through it. Except I was hopeless at art, and apparently she was good. Maybe she could help me out. 

“Alright then, Miss Heath. Continue.”

“Thank you, Sir. As soon as her assignment is done I’ll start on my next piece, Mr. Hudson. I think a break will do me some good,” she smiled at him warmly and cracked his bitter facade. I guess I wasn't the only one that couldn't resist that smile.

“So, Lex, why is someone as terrible at art as you taking an art course? Why aren’t you shaping mushy clay with your hands in ceramics next door,” she wondered. “No one can mess that up.”

“It was full,” I said cheekily.

We bumped shoulders as she laughed. Tobin pulled her chair up next to my desk and talked me through the exercise. Well, as much as she could, it was hard to pay attention when I felt her sweet breath against my cheek.

“No.”

“C’mon, Tobin just a quick peek.”

“Not a chance.”

“Like, through my fingers?”

“Not happening.”

“...through your fingers?”

Tobin smiled as she shook her head ‘no.’

“One day, Tobin Heath, you will let me see your art!”

The ringing bell interrupted our conversation. As we packed our things I noticed Tobin struggling with paintbrushes and a canvas board wrapped in wax paper.

“Do you carry that everywhere?”

“Not everywhere, just to my locker and home. My locker’s pretty far though. The complete opposite direction of my next class, so if you see me lugging this stuff around it isn’t because it’s near and dear to my heart. It would be because I don’t want to be late again. I’ve gotten pretty good at juggling it now though, especially on my board.”

“Yeah, you’re really great on that board. The way you run into cars is enviable, Toby.”

She laughed at me and started walking toward the door. 

“Toby?” I asked.

She turned around slowly, walking backwards and lifting her eyebrows questioningly.

“My locker is literally right through that door. I keep most of my books at home, so use it.”

“Nah, Lex, I’m fine. I’m trying to juggle almost as well with my arms as I do with my feet, is all.”

“Toby, seriously, look,” I say as we round the corner of the door and stop by my locker. I had a mirror and a picture with Kelley and Christen on the door. Other than that, the only things the locker housed were two thin notebooks I hadn’t yet needed during the year.

“Ugh, Lex, I barely know you. Are you sure you want to give me your locker combination? What if we lose today because I pass the ball wrong or something? Will you trust me with these two tiny notebooks then?”

“Just put that stuff in there already, you’re going to be late to class!”

“This is guilt over almost killing me isn’t it. You can’t imagine your life without me at this point. It’s been a day, Lex. You really do need better friendships.”

“Would you stop insulting me and shove your shit in the back? I wouldn’t want anyone to assume I had talent when I can barely do a shading gradient.”

Tobin Heath put her stuff in our locker, waved at me, and proceeded to sprint away. I waved at her back smiling stupidly to myself. I think I just made a really good friend. Someone to sit next to me on the bus now that Chris and Kel are chummy. I love them both to death but they can be annoying with all of their inside jokes. Now, I had someone to talk near death experiences with. That someone being Tobin Heath.

\--------

“Who are you staring at like an idiot, Al?” Christen asks

“Shit!” I jumped guiltily and pressed my hand over my chest. “Sorry, um, just this girl from art. Don’t pop up like that! You know it makes me anxious when people scare me.”

It was awkwardly silent for a beat of a second before Christen laughed and rolled her eyes. “Alex,” she exhaled once she caught her breath, “Stop staring at girls and get it together. We have like two minutes to get to class now.”

I spun toward my locker leisurely to annoy her for a second before she rolled her eyes again as she shoved me out of the way. Christen piled a notebook into my arms, while what just happened caught up to me. I’m not sure why I felt so comfortable with Tobin, I barely knew her. We had literally just met and now we were sharing my locker. I guess when you meet someone you click with things progress naturally. Christen talked at me during our walk to Econ, but I wasn’t paying attention. Sure I nodded and asked questions but I had no idea what she was talking about. 

I was worried. How do I approach Tobin during practice?

Do I wave and smile as stick with Kelley and Christen, as usual? Or do I walk up to her and make conversation? 

I was on autopilot as I slipped into my seat next to Christen. Why was I thinking about this so hard? Who cares. I would just show up to practice and wing it. It didn’t matter. It bugged me, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t usually matter how I started conversation with any of the friends I had made in the past, right? After the teacher called roll I opened my textbook to the exercise on the board and worked silently.

I wonder if Tobin was taking Economics this year. She seemed like a smart girl, maybe she’d study with me. Christen and Kelley always ended up distracting me during study sessions. It was hard to focus on my schoolwork during soccer season. I was more productive when I had someone to push me. I was a true procrastinator at everything except soccer. That was the problem. I preferred to kick at the empty goal on the school soccer field to writing English papers or finishing my Calculus homework.

In the past, Christen and Kelley kept me focused, but they’d been more distracting than usual. Laughing louder at the other’s jokes and smiling stupidly into the distance while one or the other told stories. It didn’t help that they worked together at the local Dairy Queen this past summer. I myself preferred my job at the Country Club and didn’t join in on the ‘matching job’ train. The ringing bell brought my out of my thoughts.

The rest of the day went by as usual. I had classes with a few girls from the soccer team. We did our schoolwork, talked tactics for the game, and cracked jokes when the teacher’s back was turned. Yet, something felt off. Hopefully, the afternoon’s game would tire me out enough that I got restful night’s sleep.

\----------

I yawned into my hand while pushing the plastic lunch tray along in front of me. Conflicting voices and laughs blared in the background of the school cafeteria as I smiled blearily at the lunch lady ringing me up.

“Before you say that I’m following you, just know that this is a public space and I’m starving.” A smooth voice snapped me into action. My eyes widened as my lips stretched happily.

“So what you’re telling me is, you’re stalking me,” I joked easily.

Tobin’s liquid brown eyes sparkled in amusement as she replied, “That is the exact opposite of what I am telling you, yes.”

I let out a loud laugh that shook my earlier nerves out of my system. So maybe it was just that easy to talk to her again.

“How do I suddenly go from not having seen you around in my entire high school career before a few weeks ago to seeing you everywhere these past few days?”

“You really do make a girl feel special.”

I raise my eyebrows in mock suspicion.

“I moved here a few weeks ago, so that would explain the first part of your question. As for the second part, you caught me. I am stalking you.”

Again, I laugh easily. I don’t laugh much with people I just met, but Tobin was different. I felt like I’d known her for a very long time. That’s what made me nervous. I was relaxed with her. It made me feel vulnerable, it was scary.

We banter a bit more as we walk toward an empty cafeteria table. Kelly and Christen join us a few minutes later, as do a few other girls from the soccer team.

“Look I’m not saying they suck, I’m just saying the Aztecs are terrible,” Pinoe remarked loudly.

The table broke out into laughter. “Don’t jinx us you idiot!” said Syd as she slapped Pinoe hard on the shoulder. 

It was strange to sit with Tobin during a team lunch. She was more reserved than I had grown used to in our last few conversations. I liked to make eye contact with her as she laughed, she looked free. I usually got shit for how uptight and on target I was about everything soccer, so her easy going personality was a nice change.

We knocked shoulders on several occasions as we ate lunch, smiling at each other. Glad to have gotten to know each other. Christen was side-eyeing us pretty strictly during lunch as she nodded along to the story Kelley was telling her. While I turned away from Tobin’s smiling and rosy face after another of Pinoe’s antics, Christen caught my eye. She tilted her head questioningly at me, to which I shrug. I had made a friend. That wasn’t a crime. A shock maybe, but not a crime. Kelley tapped on Christen’s shoulder until she turned back toward her and smiled softly while Kelley waved her hands wildly during another joke.

I turned to Tobin during a lull in conversation. “So, you’re starting for the first time today. That’s exciting.”

Tobin shrugged shyly, “I don’t know, it’s a pretty big game.”

“Exactly. You’ll do great out there. You’re exactly what we need,” I said encouragingly.

“If this is more guilt you should know that I’m over it. I decided that earlier when I saw you standing glumly in the lunch line by yourself,” Tobin joked.

“Oh, really?” I smiled.

“Oh, yeah. If you need friends, Lex, I gotchu. We need to boost your confidence, buddy. Can’t have you tanking on us later today.”

“Me?” I laughed. “Weren’t we just worrying about you tanking? Where did this concern come from?”

“I just worry about you Alex. A person with sharp hand-eye coordination should not be as terrible as you are at mixing colors.”

“Tobin!” I shrieked as my cheeks colored and I shoved her playfully away from me.

She giggled wickedly as she collected her lunch tray and backpack. “I swear, you’re the most easily flustered girl I have ever met. I’ll see you in practice, Lex,” she trailed off with another chuckle as the lunch bell rang.

I smiled at her retreating back for the second time that day. Christen snapped her fingers in front of my face. I turned to find her eyebrows scrunched questioningly as Kelley popped a kiss onto her cheek goodbye. “See you, Chris. Lex,” she knuckle-bumped me.  
I was still getting used to how close Christen and Kelley had grown over the summer. I was starting to feel like a third-wheel on our pre-school breakfast dates. Befriending Tobin might be my way out of my honorary third-wheel role. God, why was I still thinking about her? We had just started speaking. What was up with me lately? 

I really need better sleep, I thought to myself as I walked to class silently with Christen. Her math class was next to mine, we walked there together every day after lunch. Usually, Kelley came with. I guess she was in a rush today. Maybe I should talk to Christen about how weirdly open I felt talking to Tobin. She knew how private I was. I hardly spoke when we started getting to know Kelley during freshman year. Maybe that was the reason they were tighter than Christen and mysel-

“What’s up with you today?” Christen’s voice pulled me out of my reverie. I looked at her questioningly. “You’ve been weird since this morning. You alright? Was it the knock Kelley gave you in practice yesterday? You aren’t concussed are you?” She asked with wide worry-filled eyes.

“Whoa, Chris, chill,” I slapped her arm to get her to relax. Gah, she was such a worry-wort. “I’m fine, I just slept little last night. I told you that.”

“Yeah, but what was with you and Tobin. I didn’t even know you knew her name let alone that you’d ever spoken. You seemed comfortable.” She knew me well, I’d give her credit.

“She’s in my art class, she helped me with my work today so we got to talking.”

“You really suck at art, Al.”

“Oh, shut up!” I laughed.

“I’m glad you’re opening up to her. You guys seem to get along well. Sorry, I know Kel and I make you feel left out sometimes.”

“Whoa, chill.” I playfully knock shoulders with Christen. “It isn’t a big deal. I love you guys. Not as much as you seem to love each other, but still.”

Christen blushed, I wonder what that was about.

“I’ll see you during warm-ups before the game. If you keep talking my ear off I’ll be late.” I winked, “Go away you goober.”

\---------

I was listening to my music with my eyes closed, breathing in the stale locker room air. Left cleat, right cleat. My shoulders thrummed with excess energy. I shook my hands out as we lined up at the end of the tunnel. I loved game days.

I looked around for my usual warm up partner, Ali, who was grimacing on the sidelines with the trainer. “Hey, Ali, you alright?” I asked.

“Sorry, Alex, I twisted my ankle during that warm up run. I think I’m out for the game. You alright with warming up with someone else?”

“Ali! Of course, don’t worry about me. Shit, I’m sorry about the ankle. You going to be alright?”

“It wasn’t a bad twist, I just want to be one the safe side so that I’m healthy for when we make state,” Ali joked as she rushed me away from the bench and toward the field where warm ups were in full swing. Well, almost.

“Your warm up partner out too?” I asked Tobin.

“Yeah, Ash is getting goalkeeper warm ups in. I guess I’m on my own for this one.”

“My partner has an injury, would you mind my company terribly?”

“I think I can make an exception for you. You look pretty miserable, but that’s not surprising Morgan.”

“You’re the worst Toby!” I laughed.

So, obviously the first touch I take is a wipe out. It’s not like I was busy staring at Tobin’s sparkly brown eyes or anything. Nope, not at all.

I stare at the unforgiving sun in mock shame as Tobin tries to help me up. “Leave me, my pride is too wounded. Go on without me, Toby. Be brave.”

Tobin’s face was flushed from passing drills and laughter. I wanted to push the fly aways stuck to her forehead out of her eyes. “Alexxx-” she gasped through laughter, “who flops like that-I-ahaha-can’t-aha-even.”

“That was a gracious ball tackle, thank you very much.”

“There wasn’t anyone around to tackle, you loon!” Tobin laughs again. “Get up before we draw more attention to ourselves. Where’s your dignity,” she jokes.

“Fine, halp.” Tobin laces her fingers through mine as she giggles. And-  
“Alex!” Tobin squeals as I pull her down next to me. “I was helping you preserve your reputation.”

“It was a clean tackle, Toby. My reputation is peachy.”

“There wasn’t anyone to tackle!” Her eyes water from laughter as we lay next to each other coming apart from giggles. I smile at her as I help her up and we continue warming up among the playful head shaking of our teammates. Kelley and Christen mock fall on each other in imitation of Tobin and I.

“See, I told you my reputation was pristine,” I tell Tobin as I point toward Chris and Kel. 

“I should have expected those two to be the ones that were impressed by your shenanigans.” Tobin sticks her tongue out at me as she walks away toward the team huddle. I smile at her retreating back, it feels like a trend at this point.

\--------

The game goes on without a hitch. We won, 2-1. With Tobin assisting the winning goal with a beautiful cross to Syd in the box. Tobin laughed happily as the team patted her on the back for pretty assist.

“Good job out there, Toby.”

“Thanks, Lex. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

“I was on the other side of the field.”

“If you hadn’t inspired me with your insane tackle during warm ups I would have never made that cross.”

“Oh, shut up,” I smiled at her. “Now get in the car. I’m driving you home. It’s the least I can do since you won us the game.”

“Only if you open the door for me, since I am that important.”

I open the door and bow playfully as I take her longboard from her hands. “Can I offer you a boost into the Jeep, madam,” I say in a bad British accent.

“Why don’t you offer me a burger and coke instead.”

“Okay, the cross wasn’t that great,” I mutter as I start the car.

“Now, Alexandra Morgan. What happened to the sweet girl who ran me over yesterday?”

My cheeks color, “Um, yeah, I’m still really sorry about that.”

I see her smile at me out of the corner of my eye, “I know.”

\------

That night, I stared up at my ceiling with a content smile across my face. I graciously bought Tobin her burger and we talked more. I was glad to have a new friend in Tobin. She was really easy to talk to. It was never easy to talk to anyone. Sometimes talking to Christen felt like a chore, but Tobin was different. My eyes shut easily, my nerves having dissipated throughout the day from my time with Tobin.

I should ask her for her number, maybe she’d want to play pickup sometime. She lived a few blocks away so it wouldn’t be hard to get together whenever the soccer bug hit. And she was funny. I couldn’t catch my breath when we hung out because I was laughing so much. And she was really sweet. I almost tripped, again, when I was walking into the burger joint but she caught me and smiled.

\-------

“You have to stop bringing me coffee. I’m going to start depending on it. Then, what will I do when you forget about little ole me when you ‘accidentally’ run someone new over. How will I go on?”

“I have no idea. Who would open the car door for you and buy you cheeseburgers?”

“Honestly, I’m impressed that you bought me coffee and it came exactly the way I like.”

“That’s the way I take mine.”

“Well, then we will be fast friends, Lex.”

“We already are. I don’t give my locker combination to just anyone.”

“Hey, speaking of that. I would like to offer you some art tutoring in exchange.”

“Is it because my art project looks more like an alien than a baby?”

“...Yes. I think I would have said Squidward myself, but it really does look like an alien!” Tobin said as she tilted her head while looking at my art project.

“Tobin!” Mr. Hudson shouted. “Please, stop making fun of Ms. Morgan’s alien and allow her to continue with her project.”

“Oh God,” I dropped my face into my hands and groaned.

“Yo, Lex. What’s wrong?”

“I’m good at everything,” I mutter.

“Now, that can’t be true. I mean look at this-” Tobin trails off when she recognizes the forlorn look across my face. “Hey, it isn’t bad. It just needs...um-help…” she trails off.

“It needs to be burned.”

“Lexy, come on.” Tobin squeezes my shoulder. My arm buzzes under the heat of her hand, that’s weird. I smile softly at her. Lexy, that’s new. I like it.

“Look, I can help. Just, um, pay me in coffee.” 

“That I can do.”

“And other extravagant gifts.”

“Don’t push it.”

\-------

“So, if you just stroke softly you can blend it in better.” Tobin grabs my hand and holds it in hers as she demonstrates. “If you just-” she bites her tongue softly and squints her eyes in concentration. “There!” 

She turns to smile widely at me. I shake my head before I get caught staring. “Uh, yeah. I mean, when you do it, sure. But, um, like, if I-” I try to blend the sky into a more subtle hue and accidentally smudge the piece, “Fuck.”

I groan and drop my backwards into my bed with my arms and legs splayed. I bounce a few times on the landing and Tobin stands slowly from her desk chair. “Al, you just need to be patient. I know you say you’re good at everything,” my glare causes her to backtrack, “Um, I mean, I know you’re good at everything, but it takes time to get good at this too, okay?”

I stare at the ceiling blankly as she sits next to me on the bed. She places her hand on my knee softly in reassurance. “I just think you’re being too hard on yourself.”

I look at her back as I sit up on my elbows. She has a thin, lean body frame. It makes her look small all of a sudden. “I want to do well. I’m trying I promise I am, I just want to do well.”

“I know,” she says in a soft, comforting voice. “We’ve only been working on this for a couple of weeks, it’ll start to click soon.”

She smiles back at me and gives me her hand in an attempt to pull me into a sitting position. She’s so sweet. “You’re so sweet.” Oops, not exactly something I had meant to say out loud.

She blushes cutely at the compliment I give her and turns away from me, shyly. “Maybe we should take a break.”

She looks into my eyes softly and my skin buzzes in a familiar way. I feel my face heating up as I sit next to her and stare into her eyes silently. She’s such a good friend to me. I scan her face in an effort to figure out what she’s thinking and see her gulp. The thought that we are sharing air makes my stomach twist strangely. I stare at her lips questioningly. What was this? I had dated boys and broken up with boys and kissed boys and that didn’t feel like this. I had friends that were girls and that didn’t feel like this. What was this? 

Tobin leans subtly closer to me, I can see the hazel freckles in her warm eyes. I had never noticed the center glowed just a bit brighter than the rest of her pupils. Her skin looked so smooth. Her eyelashes fluttered as her eyes darkened. The way the sun hit her face made my mouth dry. I hadn’t noticed she had a few freckles across the bridge of her nose. They were pretty. I wonder how many there were. A strand of her hair fell into her eyes as she leaned toward me so I tucked it behind her ear. It was blocking my view of the warm, hazel glow I was trying to memorize. My finger trailed from her ear down to her cheek, with those brown liquid pools flickering across my face.

I felt like I was on autopilot. It was an out of body experience, it had to be. I had never been this enamored by another person’s face. I had never noticed the blend of color in another person’s eyes. Tobin was-Tobin was gorgeous. I, I didn’t know how to process the information. I mean, Christen and Kelley were pretty, but Tobin was-Tobin was more.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Tobin closed the distance between us. My finger continued to trace the details of her face. I tucked my behind her ear and trailed it into her hair, pulling her closer. As my fingers found purchase in her soft, brown locks Tobin released a shuddery gasp into my lips. I snapped out of my trance.

I stood in a flash. My hand, the one that had just caressed her soft features and silken hair, shooting in front of my face. What did I just do? I groaned.

“Uh, Lexy,” Tobin softly whispered. 

Shit, what was I going to say to Tobin. Fuck. What had I just done?

My hands balled into fists and rubbed into my eyes tiredly. “Tobin, I’m sorry. Fuck. I didn’t mean-”

She holds my hand softly in hers and pulls me in front of her as she continues sitting on the bed. “Hey, I kissed you. Why are you apologizing?”

You look at her dumbly. You were enamored with her face, you could have sworn you were the one to lean in. “Didn’t I kiss you first?” I asked dumbly.

“You kissed me back.”

You continue staring at her, trying to find the right words to say. “I-I think I like you, as, um, as more than friends.”

She smiles at you and pulls you onto the bed as she scoots back. You crawl toward her with trepidation. “I think I’ve always liked you.”

She pulls you into her arms and you lie together on your bed. She smells like the pines you remember from camping during your childhood. It's soothing as you tuck your face into her neck. She runs her hands softly along your back. “It’s okay. I like you, too.”

You fall asleep in her arms and wake up to an empty bedroom. The note on your pillow alerts you that it wasn’t a dream. ‘I had to go, see you tomorrow sleepyhead.”

\------

The next morning it’s hard to stay engaged in your conversation with Christen and Kelley before school. You feel like you need to open up to someone. Can you even fathom telling Christen you might have a thing for Tobin, a girl, when you don’t even know where you and Tobin stand. No. So, you keep it to yourself. You tuck yourself away and promise you’ll approach the subject with Tobin during class. 

You smile at Tobin gently as you walk by her. Your fingers touch as you hand her the coffee and you stand there unsteadily until she asks what you need.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I brought you breakfast as well.” You fumble through your bag in search of your surprise. Two heart shaped donuts. You hand Tobin the bag and shuffle wordlessly to your seat. You cough to conceal the awkwardness you feel as you sit at the desk in front of hers.

You don’t see her smile warmly at your back as she opens the bag, but you do feel her fingers tangle with yours on the hand that usually dangles at your side. You squeeze her fingers happily. It’s the start of something new.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for my girlfriend. It was supposed to be longer, and up months ago. Sorry, b.


End file.
